An X-ray computed tomography (CT) apparatus generates imaging CT volume data through an imaging method, as three-dimensional (3D) data including cardiovascular morphological information. An image processing apparatus extracts coronary artery volume data encompassing a coronary artery on the basis of the imaging CT volume data, and displays the coronary artery volume data as a 3D image. Such display allows an operator to visually identify a narrowing portion of a cardiac coronary artery.
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus generates multi-frame 3D data (cardiac wall volume data) including morphological information on cardiac walls (endocardial, myocardial and epicardial walls). The image processing apparatus analyzes the multi-frame cardiac wall volume data, and calculates cardiac function information (wall movement information), thereby generating cardiac function volume data mapped according to the degree of cardiac function information and displaying the cardiac function volume data as a 3D image. Such display enables the degree of cardiac function information to be quantified.
An image processing apparatus has also been known that aligns coronary artery volume data with cardiac function volume data, combines both the data items, and displays the combined data. The image processing apparatus aligns the coronary artery volume data with the cardiac function volume data, then combines both the data items to generate combined volume data, and displays the generated data as a 3D image. An operator can easily grasp the positional relationship between a vascular narrowing portion indicated in the coronary artery volume data and a cardiac malfunctioning portion indicated by the cardiac function volume data on the basis of the displayed 3D image. Consequently, the displayed 3D image of the combined volume data is effective in determining necessity of treatment and identifying a portion to be treated.
Moreover, an image processing apparatus has been disclosed that generates combined volume data showing the relationship between a vascular narrowing portion based on coronary artery volume data and cardiac malfunctioning portion (cardiac wall movement abnormal portion) based on cardiac function volume data, and displays the generated data as a multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) image.
The conventional image processing apparatus for displaying the combined volume data showing the relationship between the vascular narrowing portion and the cardiac malfunctioning portion can present the operator with the distance between the cardiac malfunctioning portion and the coronary artery, where the cardiac malfunctioning portion has a strain value, or cardiac function information, higher than a threshold. However, this apparatus cannot present the operator with the strain value itself. Furthermore, the determination as to whether a portion is a cardiac malfunctioning portion or not depends on the threshold of strain value that is for identifying a cardiac malfunctioning portion. Accordingly, the distance between the cardiac malfunctioning portion and the coronary artery varies depending on the threshold. Consequently, it is difficult to set a single threshold, which would otherwise be appropriate for the conventional image processing apparatus.
The operator has to search for a close part of the blood vessel where a Strain level has decreased, the close part being close to a part of the blood vessel where a diagnosis or a treatment is necessary, so as to identify the diagnosis or treatment part. In other words, there is a problem that cannot decide a blood vessel responsible for the cardiac malfunctioning portion.
In the conventional technique that aligns the coronary artery volume data with the cardiac function volume data and then generates combined volume data, the 3D image is displayed in such a manner that a vascular narrowing portion is hidden behind a cardiac malfunctioning portion displayed at the front in the direction of line of sight of the 3D image. Consequently, the operator cannot visually identify the vascular narrowing portion behind. In order to allow the operator to visually identify the vascular narrowing portion behind and thus exhaustively identify the vascular narrowing portion and the cardiac malfunctioning portion, the operator is required to repeat a turning operation (an operation of turning the direction of line of sight) for the displayed 3D image. This operation becomes burden on the operator.